EPISTEMOLOGY
OF THE CLOSET
Eve Kosorsky SeDGwick
Univesity of California Pres
‘Ber
rey» Los AngelesAcknoniedgmens
retin
Contents
ty Erisemoloy of the Close
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232,
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2 Some Binns)
iy add Ate te Homose
3. Some Binion
4: The Beas inthe Closet
Jane and she Weng Homorel ale
§. Prout an he Spectacle of the Clow
Index
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pig708272\
Axiomatic
Epistemology of he Coe proposes that many ofthe major nodes of
though and knowledge rweniehceniry Western cate na whole
te sractured ine, fitted bya chronic, now endemic crs of
emo/beerosnil defaion sndcaly male, ating fom the end
the sinter etry The book wl ape that an onéermaning of
ieualy ay sia of esodera Wesern cure must be, noe merely
Incomplete, a amar cnr bance the dare that oes
sot incorporate ria analys of modera homo hetoseal ein
‘ions andi wllasume that ce appropiate lae forth ra analysis
‘0 bepa is om be lay dcenered especie of moder gy nd
“The prsge of tine the tena of tow and neesay pia
struggle sinc thet fhe etory have ony spread and depend the
Jong esi of moder sea dein, dramating, fen ike) the
tnceral ince aod tl contadction of echo the osc
isc ad neem “common sie" on thi saber inherit)
‘kom the aches of ou rset cle. The cones I wl be
Sith homosenal pais" dene ssc that comuoaly ted
reset conviction ort ighen sentencing of gay ashes tem, at
tel, tae names» ey ape tool the peeset adh, =
“fomorostl panic dene fora person (ply a man) ace at
amiga violence mies th his esponiyfor theese was dit
‘ted bya patos ocho onion, props brought on by
fm nwo weet adtnce rom the man wh be then stacked, In
“dion che unsaved assumptions haa gy men may pausby
te awed of king seal adrnee oranges andy woes, that
lence, tent th oie of homicide, ema respon 9
Socal sane whether welcome oro, the “omoweu panic dense
‘es on te fai indidsning and ptolopingastampion dat
trl homseralsio priate ad so atypia phenomenon acs
tule a5 to be cassabl san accountable ies. The
treespead accepeaes of this defen ely sre oan the com
‘eangthathatedoffomoreasinvessmoe pbc more rpc, ence
are fn any leverage agi thea Raed of ether damage
uoops "Rie panc or ender pani fone, enoracrpeed
‘ese for wlenee aga people of color of apaist women oF
“etre panic” Dari Werner, eceue deco of te New
York Chy Gay and Lesbian Ant Vicence Project, rete, “Mery
verona woman who hada seal ataace mee to herby maha
‘height to matderthe man, theses cf his ity wold ied wh
the bodies of eterseua mn. lawyer fr th Naso Gay Rights
‘Advocate males exp he conta wh eal een of tere
ted ormer:"Toreien0 far ot el jain or tee fh
[homonexaal panic] dees, ut as scty wil allow a dekndane
toureracil or ended preucice an exe fr hi ile ac
eden’ omopbabia so defense valet ce."
aca pi camer argh one
Ee eatin Teter Tuo Ba
2 Guien eon a NCRA Dice Homes lene
nocd enn 2oo
Thos lor ofthe popular ofthe "homoroxl pasicdefense eons
0 come simply fom is aby to permit ad “place by patbelogig,
‘the enacment of» scaly sancuoned rejoice aaiast one sigma
‘minora pacslydemeaned one among mans spec ph
sib, hovers uo wo depend ona diference Between agay
‘rime and ober bap rclted siminory ere he deen of Dow
‘ch et clear, perp Gal how impose, the ude ean
{ition of» nortcing gay Went. Afr all the reason hy this
Allene borrows he rane ofthe (omer rahe obser and Hele
‘dgronl pychinsicdaseaton “homens psi tates
‘he spposed uncerany about his own sexual lento prpeatar
‘ofthe stay vce. Tha hs shoul be the ping ‘caro of
keene of gy baer (a uncriny about oe wn lin
“thn, or gender ot nok cne of ieee viens) shows
‘nee agra howthe raping argo minrsng snug
“undersundngsofmale ero heteroues dfn can tend orden
Te the vicimiation of gy people. Ine, the homosxs pacic